Safety gas burner control



Jan. 16, 1934. C. SCHUCK Er AL I 1,943,490

SAFETY GAS BURNER CONTROL 1 Uhl ,|,l

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Georje 'Layer C. SCHUCK El' AL SAFETY GAS BURNER CONTROL Jan. 16, 1934.

Filed Aug. 17, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 16, 1934 'UNITED -s'mfrlzs SAFETY GAS BURNER CONTROL Conrad Schuck and George Layer, East Orange, N. J.

Application August 17, 1928. Serial No. 300,217

36 Claims.

This invention relates to gaseous fuel controls and in particular safety controls for domestic range ovens.

A large percentage of the gas ranges which are manufactured and sold at the present time are equipped with a thermostatic regulator to control the temperature of the oven. A constantly burning pilot burner is usually provided for the purpose of igniting the main burner of the oven in the event the thermostatic valve completely shuts olf the supply of gas to this burner and then re-opens and again admits gas thereto or upon unintentional extinguishment of the main burner for any other reason.

It is apparent that if the pilot light should become extinguished for any cause whatsoever, and the thermostatic valve should -turn on the gas supply to the burner a very hazardous condition would result, with the possibility of an explosion or asphyxiation of the occupants of the house in which the stove is located.

One of the objects of our invention is to provide a safety device for gas burners which prevents the escape of unburned gas from the main burner upon extinguishment of the pilot light.

Another object of our invention is to provide Y an automatic control foroven burners that makes it necessary to ignite the pilot burner before the main burner is lighted.

Another object of our invention is to provide a simple and fool proof device of the type described and for the purpose hereinafter set forth. Another further object of our invention is to provide an ignition device for oven burners which 5 positively insures the complete lighting of the main burner.

Another object of our invention is to provide a safety gas burner control that shuts off both the pilot burner and the main burner upon extinguishment of either of said burners.

A further object of our invention is to provide an automatic lsafety gas control in which the main gas supply is automatically and thermostatically controlled and in which it vis necessary to open the appliance door before the pilot burner gas supply can be turned on.

With the above mentioned and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and combination of parts, hereinafter described, illustrated in some of its embodiments in the accompanying drawings and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Stated in general terms our invention consists in the provision of a pair of levers which are controlled by the movement of a strip of thermostatic metal which is adapted to operate said levers when it is in a heated condition and in this manner control the supply of gas to the constantly burning pilot light and to the main oven burner. @D

The principal advantage of our improved control is the high factor of safety that it affords in the operation of the ordinary domestic range oven, making it impossible to operate the main burner without the presence of a pilot ame for G5 its ignition.

A further advantage of our improved control is that it automatically shuts off the gas supply to both the pilot light and the main burner in the event of extinguishment of either one of these llames.

In the drawings: Fig. 1 represents a perspective view, largely diagrammatical, showing thek essential elements of my improved oven control. Fig. 2 is a side elevational view taken on line 75 2 2, Fig. 1, showing the interior of the oven. Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 3-3 Fig. 2.

The reference numeral 1, indicates a range oven adapted for use in connection with a gas burning range of the type commonly used in the S0 home. The oven 1 is provided with an oven door 2, that is hinged at 3 to the frame of the oven 1. The oven is provided with a main heating burner 4 which is adapted to be supplied with gas from a main gas supply' pipe 5. The main gas supply 85 is controlled by means of a manually operable shut off valve 6. The gas supply from the valve 6 is conducted to a conduit 7 which is in communication with a thermostatic oven regulator' 8 and a pilot gas supply line 9.

The oven regulator is of the conventional type and is adapted to be controlled and to regulate the heat of the oven by means of the regulating handle 9. The outlet end of the regulator 8 is connected to a conduit 10 that is provided at its 95 lower end with a spring closed valve 11. The outlet end of the spring closed valve 11 is connected to a fitting 12 that is connected to an adjustable spud 13, that is received in the gas and air mixing tube 14 of the main burner 4. lThe pilot supply 100 line 9 is connected to a valve 15 which is similar in construction to the valve 11.` The outlet end of the valve 15 is in communication with the conduit 16 which leads to a pilot burner 17 which is positioned adjacent the main burner 4 of the 105 voven.

The oven regulator 8 is provided with a cam 18 which is adaptedto be rotated by the regulator handle 9. In the closed position of the regulator, the cam 18 contacts with a lever 19 shift- 110 ing it to its extreme right hand position as viewed in Fig. 1. 'Ihe lever 19 is held in contact with the face of the cam 18 by means of a spring 35 which is secured to the upper end of this lever and to the anchorage 41 on the frame of the oven 1. The lower end of the lever 19 is provided with a strip of thermostatic metal 20 which is secured thereto by any suitable means such as rivets 21. In the extreme right hand position of the lever 19 the thermostatic metal is located partly above and opposite to the pilot burner 17. The thermostatic metal is operatively associated with the pilot valve operating lever 22. This lever is pivotally supported at 23 and is adapted to swing in a horizontal plane.

The pilot burner lever 22 is provided with a laterally extending arm 25 which is adapted to be operatively connected to the oven door 2 by means of a rod 36. The oven door 2 supports a bracket 37 which is provided with an arcuate slot 38 for reception of a downwardly bent end of the rod 36, the other end of the rod being correspondingly formed for reception in the end of the arm 25. Upon opening of the oven door 2 the lever 22 is swung to the right by the rod 36 as viewed in Fig. 1.

The main heating burner in addition to the conventional burner ports 39 that are usually located on the under side of a burner of this type is provided with a pair of auxiliary outlets or ports 26 and 27. 'Ihe outlet 26fconstitutes an igniter for the main burner and the outlet 27 constitutes a heating burner for the thermostatic strip 20, when the oven burner is in operation and the burner control elements are in the position they occupy under these conditions.

The lever 22 is adapted to contact with a rod 28, which in turn contacts with the push button 29 of the valve 15 and in this manner controls the pilot burner gas supply. A slideably mounted block 30 is carried in a suitable support 40 at a point adjacent the end of the lever 22. The block 30 is adapted at certain times to contact with the lever 32 which is pivotally mounted at 33 and is adapted to contact with the push button 34 of the main burner valve 11.

In the operation of the device the gas valve 6 is rst opened and the handle 9 of the oven regulator is set to its closed or Vertical position with the high part of the cam 18 into Contact with the lever 19 holding this lever in the extreme right hand position as viewed in Fig. 1. The oven door 2 is then opened. In the opening of the oven door the rod 36 is pulled outwardly shifting the lever 22 to the right. This movement of the lever 22, is transmitted to the rod 28 and to the push button 29 of the pilot valve 15 depressing the push button 29. In this manner a supply of gas is admitted to the burner 17.

This burner is then ignited and in a few seconds it has heated the thermostatic strip 20 Suniciently so that the bimetallic thermostatic strip 20 warps and shifts to the right and contacts with the lever 22, holding this lever in the position which the rod 36 first pulled it into. The oven door may now be closed as the heated thermostatic metal 20 maintains the valve 15 in its open position. After the oven door has been closed the oven regulator handle 9 is moved downwardly, shifting the cam at the same time, and permitting the lever 19 to swing forwardly by means of the spring 35. In this manner the thermostatic strip 20 is brought into engagement with the face of the extension 31 of the block 30. l

The block 30 is thus moved into engagement with the lever 32 causing this lever to depress the push button 34 of the main burner valve 1l. In this manner gas is supplied to the main burner 4. At the instant gas is admitted to the main burner 4 the outlet 26 is ignited from the pilot burner 17 which at the same time assists in the ignition on the main burner 4. No burner ports are provided on the main burner between the burner outlets 26 and 27, so that it is necessary for the flame of the burner to progress upon ignition in a counterclockwise direction around the burner as viewed in Fig. 3.

When the flame has travelled completely around the burner the outlet 27 is iinally ignited. The flame from the outlet 27 impinges upon the thermostatic metal 20 when the lever 19 is in its forward position. This burner maintains the thermostatic metal hot holding it in the warped position which it occupies when it is in a heated condition and in this manner maintains the valves 15 and 16 in open position.

Should the main burner become extinguished for any reason whatsoever the thermostatic metal 20 will be permitted to cool causing it to shift to the left or its initial position.

If this cooling movement of the strip20 takes place when the oven valve burner is in open position, it will shift to the left clearing the edge 3l of the block allowing the levers 32 and 22 and the valves l1 and 15 to move to their closed position. It will be necessary to repeat the cycle of operations previously described in order to put the main burner in operation again.

One of the important features of this control is the arrangement by which the name of the main burner must travel completely around this burner Within a certain-length of time for the operation of the control. In the operative or forward position of the lever 19 it is necessary for the outlet 27 to be ignited within a few seconds after the lever 19 and the thermostatic metal 20 have been shifted. If this does not take place within a specified time the thermostatic metal 20 will cool and immediately cut oi the supply of gas to the main burner 4 and the pilot burner 17. The spring closed valves 11 and l5 are of the conventional push button type commonly used in connection with igniters for the open burner of the stove.

In the normal operation of the oven, the thermostatic oven regulator 8, which is of the graduating type, cuts down the main burner gas supply as the oven comes up to the desired temperature and normally maintains a constant supply of gas to the main burner 4 in accordance with the temperature for which the thermostat is set. Thus for the higher temperature settings of the thermostat a considerable iiow of gas is supplied to the burner 4 and for the lower temperatures.a lesser amount is supplied. Occasionally due to faulty operation or unusual operating conditions, i

such oven regulators completely shut ofi the gas supply of the main burner. It is to protect against a hazardous condition arising upon the happening of such an event in combination with extinguishment of the pilot light, that our safety control is adapted for.

While our improved control is particularly applicable for use in connection with stoves of the type shown, it may be readily adapted to other gas burning appliances particularly appliances in which the medium which is boing heated automatically controls the operation of the burner by means of a gradually or a quick acting thermostatic device as are commonly employed for this purpose.

Furthermore, it is to be understood that the particular forms of apparatus shown and described, and the particular procedure set forth, are presented for purposes of explanation and illustration and that various modifications of said apparatus and procedure can be made without departing from our invention as defined in -the appended claims.

We claim:

l. A safety gas burner control comprising, an endless main burner having a series of regularly spaced burner ports formed therein said series of burner ports being separated by a space in said burner which is not provided with burner ports, a pilot burner adjacent one end of said burner ports, and means cooperating with the names supported at the other end of said series of burner ports to control the flow of gas thereto.

2. A safety gas burner control comprising, an endless main burner having a series of regularly spacer burner ports formed therein said series of burner ports being separated by an unported space in said burner, a pilot burner adjacent one end of said series of burner ports, and thermostatic means cooperating with the iiarnes from the other end of said series of burner ports to control the flow of gas thereto.

3. A safety gas burner control comprising, an endless gas burner having a series of regularly spaced burner ports formed therein said burner being provided with an unported section, a constantly burning pilot burner adjacent the first of said burner ports and said unported section, thermostatic means responsive in one position to the heat of said pilot burner and adapted to be responsive in another position to the heat of the flames supported at the last of said series of burner ports to control the flow of gas thereto.

4. A safety gas burner control comprising, an endless gas burner having a series 'of regularly spaced burner ports formed therein over a portion of said burner,"a constantly burning pilot burner adjacent the rst of said burner ports, thermostatic means responsive to the heat of said pilot burnerv and adapted to be responsive to the heat of the ames' supported at the last of said series of burner ports to control the'flow of gas thereto, and an oven regulator operatively associated with said thermostatic means.

5. A safety gas burner control comprising, a thermostatic regulating valve, a main burner, a pilot burner, a spring closed pilot burner valve, a spring closed main burner valve, and thermostatic means operatively connected to said regulating valve to control the operation of said pilot burner valve and said main burner valve.

6. A safety gasburner control comprising, a thermostatic regulating valve, a main burner, a pilot burner, a pilot burner valve, a main burner valve, and thermostatic means operatively assocated with said regulating valve responsive at times to the heat of said pilot burner and at other times to said main burner to control the flow of gas to the said pilot burner.

'7. A safety gas burner control comprising, a thermostatic regulating valve, a main burner having a series of burner ports terminated by a pair of spaced enlarged ports, a pilot burner, a pilot burner valve, a main burner valve, and thermostatic means operatively associated with said regulating valve responsive in one position to the heat of said pilot burner and responsive in another position to the heat of the flame supported at one of the enlarged ports of said main burner to control the ow of gas to the said pilot burner and said main burner.

8. A safety control for gas heated ovens comprising, an oven regulator, a rotatable cam carried by said oven regulator, a lever controlled by said cam, a thermostatic element carried by said lever at its lower end, a pilot burner, a main burner, a spring resisted valve communicating with said pilot burner, a spring resisted valve communicating with said main burner, means associated with said thermostatic element and said pilot burner valve to control the operation thereof, and means associated with said thermostatic element and said main burner valve to control the operation thereof.

9. A safety control for gas heated ovens comprising, an oven regulator, a cam carried by said oven regulator, a lever controlled by said cam, a thermostatic element carried by said lever at its lower end, a pilot burner, a main burner, a spring resisted valve communicating with said pilot burner, a spring' resisted valve communicating With said main burner, means associated with said thermostatic element and said pilot burner valve to control the operation thereof, and means associated with said thermostatic element and said main burner valve to control the operation thereof, said thermostatic element being responsive in one position to the heat of said pilot burner and in another position to the heat of said main burner.

10. In a safety control for oven burners comprising, an oven cabinet, a swinging door carried by said cabinet, a main burner in said cabinet, a pilot burner adjacent said main burner, a valve to control the operation of said pilot burner, means operatively associated with said door to operate said pilot burner valve, and thermostatic means independent of said oven door to control the operation of said pilot burner valve.

l1. A safety control for gas burning appliances comprising, a main burner, a constantly burning pilot burner adjacent thereto, a thermostatic regulator to control the oW of gas to said main burner, a pilot burner valve, a .main burner valve, and thermostatic means initially responsive to the heat of said pilot burner and operatively associated with said thermostatic regulator to control the flow of gas to said pilot burner and to open said main burner valve.

12. A safety control for gas burning appliances comprising, a main burner, a constantly burning pilot burner adjacent thereto, a thermostatic regulator to control the flow of gas to said main burner, a pilot burner valve, a main burner valve, and thermostatic means initially responsive to the heat of said pilot burner operatively associated with said thermostatic regulator to control the flow of gas to said pilot burner and to open said main burner valve, said thermostatic means being responsive to the heat of said main burner to maintain said main burner valve in open position as long as said main burner is burning and to close said main burner valve upon extinguishment of said main burner.

13. In a gas appliance burner control, an oven cabinet, a main burner therein, a swinging door for said cabinet hinged thereto, a pilot burner for said main burner in said cabinet, a pair of valves to control the fuel supply of said burners, means including a thermostat initially responsive to the heat of said pilot burner to control the operation of said valves, and supplemental means operatively associated .with said door to operate one of said valves independently of said first named means.

14. In a gas appliance burner control, an oven cabinet, a main burner therein, a swinging door for said cabinet hinged thereto, a pilotburner for said main burner in said cabinet, a pair of valves to control the fuel supply of said burners, means including a thermostat initially responsive to the heat of said pilot burner to control the operation of said valves, and supplemental means operatively associated With said oven door adapted to effect the opening of one of said valves upon the opening of said oven door, said first named means being adapted to control said valve when said oven door is closed.

l5. A thermostatic control for gas appliances comprising, a main burner having a discontinuous series of burner ports, a pilot burner adjacent one end of said series of *burner ports, and means including a thermostat initially responsive to the heat of said pilot burner to effect the admission of gasto said main burner whereupon the first of said series of burner ports is ignited by said pilot burner, the remaining ports being successively ignited thereby, said thermostat being solely responsive to the heat emitted by the last of said series of ports to maintain the fiow of gas to said main burner.

16. A safety device for thermostatically controlled enclosed burners comprising a main burner, an enclosure therefor, a door for said enclosure, a pilot burner for the ignition of said main burner, a source of fluid fuel supply for said pilot burner and said main burner, a thermostatic fuel regulator for said main burner for maintaining a predetermined temperature in said enclosure, settaole means for adjusting said regulator to maintain a selected temperature, pilot burner control means necessitating the opening of said door to place said pilot burner into operation, and main burner control means responsive to the heat of said pilot burner only when said regulator is in its closed position adapted when so heated to supply fuel to said main burner upon adjusting said regulator to a given temperature setting.

17. In a safety burner control for ovens and the like, an oven structure, a heating burner therefor, an ignition pilot burner for said heating burner, a uid fuel control valve for said heating burner, and means responsive to the heat of said pilot burner only when said valve is in its off position adapted when so heated to supply fuel to said heating lmrner `ipon the adjusting of said control valve to its on position.

18. A safety control device comprising a main heating burner, a pilot burner therefor, a fuel supply valve for said main burner, manually operated means effective only after being subjected to the heat of said pilot burner for operating said valve, a normally closed fuel supply valve for said pilot burner, and means for opening said pilot burner fuel supply valve.

19. A safety control device comprising a main heating burner, a pilot burner therefor, and fuel suppl, valves for said burners in combination with thermostatic means effective only after being subjected to the heat of said pilot burner for automatically maintaining a supply of fuel to said pilot burner and for manually controlling the fuel supply of said main heating burner.

20. A safety fuel control and ignition device for the oven burner of a gas range comprising, a pilot burner, a mainburner in lighting proximity thereto, a door for said oven, means associated therewith for supplying fuel to said pilot burner, and means including a device responsive to the heat of said pilot burner and inoperative in the absence of a fiame thereat for controlling the fuel supply of said main burner.

21. A safety fuel control and ignition device for the oven burner of a gas range comprising, a pilot burner, a main burner in lighting proximity thereto, a door for said oven, means associated therewith for initially supplying fuel to said pilot burner, a thermostatic fuel regulator for controlling the temperature of said oven, and means associated therewith including a device responsive to the heat of said pilot burner and inoperative in the absence of a flame thereat for supplying fuel to said main burner. v

22. A safety fuel control and ignition device for the oven burner of a gas range comprising, a pilot burner, a main burner in lighting proximity thereto, a door for said oven, and means for placing said main burner in operation and supplying fuel thereto in the normal operation of the device requiring the opening of said oven door and the ignition of said pilot burner before gas can be supplied to said main burner.

23. A safety fuel control and ignition device for the oven burner of a gas range comprising, a pilot burner, a main burner in lighting proximity thereto, a door for said oven, means associated therewith for initially supplying fuel to said pilot burner upon the opening of said door, means responsive to the heat of said pilot burner for maintaining the supply of fuel thereto, and means associated with said last named means for supplying fuel to said main burner.

24. In a gas range, an oven, an oven burner, a source of gas supply therefor, an adjustable thermostat-ic oven regulator for controlling the gas supply of said burner, a member foi adjust-, ing the temperature setting of said regulator, and a thermostatic safety gas cut-off for said burner operatively associated with said member.

25. A fuel control for a thermostatically regulated fluid fuel fired appliance comprising a heatingburnenasource of fuel supply therefor, a thermostatic regulator for automatically controlling the fuel supply of said burner for the purpose of maintaining the temperature of the medium effecting the operation of said regulator within certain predetermined limits, a member for adjusting the temperature setting of said regulator, and a thermostatic safety fuel cut-olf device for said burner operatively associated with said member.

26. A safety fuel control for gas range ovens and the like comprising in combination, a pilot burner, a main burner adjacent thereto, and a main burner fuel control device having a thermostat initially responsive to the heat of said pilot burner and shiftable to a position away from said pllotburner for supplying gas to said main burner for a short time interval, said device be ing arranged to cut off the fuel supply of said main burner in the event that the gas issuing from the main burner is not ignited during the stated time interval.

27. A safety fuel control for gas burners com-1 prising in combination, a'pilot burner, a mairi burner adjacent thereto, and a gas control de vice having a part arranged to occupy two positions, one where it is affected by the heat of said pilot burner and the other where it is affected by the heat of said main burner for supplying gas thereto and for automatically cutting off the gas supply thereof in the event of the extinguishment of said main burner.

28. The combination with a gas stove having a burner and a fuel supply pipe for the burner, of a valve for the burner, a second valve in the fuel supply pipe, thermostatically operative means, influenced by the heat of the burner, for effecting a closing of the secondvalve upon extinguishment of the burner when the burner valve is open, and means for rendering said thermostatically operative means inoperative by a closing movement of the'burner valve.

29. The combination with a gas stove having a burner and a fuel supply pipe for the burner, of a valve for the burner, a second valve in the fuel supply pipe, and thermostatically operative means, infiuenced by the heat of the burner, for effecting a closing of the second valve upon extinguishment of the burner when the burner valve is open, and means, rendered operative upon closing of the burner valve, to effectively disconnect the thermostatically operative means from the second valve.

30. The combination with a gas stove having a burner, a valve for the burner, a fuel supply pipe for the burner, and a second valve in the pipe spaced from and independent o'f the burner valve, of a thermostatically operated device associated with the burner and operatively connected to the burner valve for effecting a closing of the second valve when the burner is extinguished while the burner valve is open.

3l.I The combination with a gas stove having a burner, a valve for the burner, a fuel supply pipe for the burner, and a second valve in the pipe, of a thermostatically operated device associated with the burner for effecting a closing of the second valve when the burner is extinguished While the burner valve is open, and means operated by closing the burner valve to effectively disconnect the thermostatically operated device from the second burner.

32.v The combination with a gas stove having a burner, a valve for the burner, a fuel supply pipe for the burner, a yieldably closed valve in the fuel supply pipe, a lever acting member normally holding the last mentioned valve open. temperature responsive means associated with the burner to actuate the lever acting member, and means rendered operative by a closing movement of the burner valveA to render the temperature responsive means inoperative to close the fuel pipe valve.

33. The combination with a gas stove having a burner, a valve for the burner, a fuel supply pipe for the burner, of a yieldably closed valve in the fuel supplyv pipe, a lever acting member normally holding the last mentioned valve open, temperature responsive means associated with the burner to actuate the lever acting member, said means rendered operative by a closing movement of the burner valve to effectively disconnect the temperature responsive means with respect to said lever acting member.

34. The combination with a burner and supply pipe of a gas stove, of a valve for the burner, a second valve in the supply pipe, temperature responsive means for closing the supply pipevalve when the burner is extinguished with the burner valve open, and a cam acting member associated with the burner valve, and operative upon a closing action of the burner valve, to effectively disconnect the temperature responsive means from the supply pipe valve.

35. The combination with a stove having a burner, a valve for the burner, a fuel supply pipe for the burner, and a second valve, in said pipe', 100 of a thermostatic element arranged in a position to be influenced by the heat of theburner, means tending to close the supply pipe valve, means associated with said thermostatic element for releasably holding the pipe valve open, and an operative connection between the thermostatic element and the burner valve, said connection being associated with the burner valve in a manner permitting the thermostatic element to allow the closure of the pipe valve only when the burner 110 valve is open.

' 36. The combination with a stove having a burner, a valve for the burner, a fuel supply pipe for the burner, and a second valve, in said pipe, of a thermostatic element arranged in a position to be influenced by the heat of the burner, means tending to close the supply pipe valve, means associated with said thermostatic element for releasably holding the pipe valve open, and an operative connection between the thermostatic element and the burner valve, said connection including an actuator rod, and a cam member operated by the burner valve to shift the actuator rod when the burner valve is operated.

CONRAD SCHUCK. GEORGE LAYER. 

